Number

Numeric fields are used to store and present numeric content in a variety of forms including whole number, percentage, or currency. It is important to note that while the content of a numeric field can be applied with a mask to change it’s presentation, the mask (format) does not change the content itself. For example, if a number is being presented in Ninox in Euros, and the format is changed to British Pounds, the content will not be converted according to a foreign currency translation. Similarly, a whole number presented as a percentage is, in fact, a whole number with the percentage (%) indicator appended as a suffix.

The Numeric field parameters and configuration options screen is displayed in the image below with each options use described in the text below the image.

FIELDNAME – The field name is the unique alphanumeric string that identifies the field in terms of what the contents of that field represents. No two fields in the same table may have the exact same name

REQUIRED – Ninox users have the option to define whether or not the field may be empty. If the “Required” field is set to “Yes”, no record may be stored into the data table if the value of the field is null. Keep

DEFAULTVALUE – This is the value that Ninox will insert into the field immediately upon a new record’s creation within the table. The default value may be overridden/edited by the end user assuming adequate user rights and privileges. Users will often assign a default value to a field that has been defined as Required so as to ensure efficient data entry processes. HOWEVER, if the field is a compliance where, as the database administrator, you with to force the user to recognize the importance of the field and its contents, set Required to “Yes” and leave the Default Value blank. This will prevent a record from being entered into the table until the user has completed content entry into the field. A required field that is null will glow red until such time that content is provided.

MIN – Users have the option to define the minimum value that may exist in this field for any one record in the table.

MAX – Users have the option to define the maximum value that may exist in this field for any one record in the table.

NUMBERFORMAT – A Format Mask can be applied to the contents of a Number field in Ninox in order to have that content labelled as according to a unit of measure. Unit of Measure options include Whole Number, Real Number, Percentage or Currency. The Number Format option screen is display in the image below.

Note that changing the format of a number does not change the manner in which that number is treated within Ninox. This is to say, if the value 50 is masked and formatted to be presented as a percentage (50%), it will be treated in formulae within Ninox as the value fifty (50) and not .50 or half ½. To use a value of fifty (50) that is being displayed as a percentage by Ninox, it must be included in a formula as ‘Field Name’/100.

The Prefix and Unit options in the Number Format screen instruct Ninox to append a character (or character string) as a prefix or suffix to the content of the numeric field. These fields are often used to define a unit of measure (“Days”, “Hours”, “Members”, “Yards” that, when included in the format mask, serve to make the value in the field more understandable as the Prefix or Unit serve to provide context.

For values in Number fields that exceed 999 – which is to say at least 4 digits in length – users have the option to have Ninox include or not include a thousands separator between every block of three digits in the value.

TOOLTIP – Often referred to as “hover help”, this is content that will appear in a small balloon at the point where the cursor is when that cursor is left to hover over the field for a few seconds. Tooltips are used to assist the user in understanding what is expected to be entered into the field. For example, a Cost field in the Inventory table of a ERP database application may include a tooltip that says “Please enter the cost we pay to acquire the item from the vendor”

DISPLAYFIELDONLY IF – This field accesses the Ninox formula editor where the user may define the condition under which this field, and its contents and name, remain visible in the form view of records in this table. A field will only remain visible if the DISPLAYFIELDONLY IF is left blank or if the formula that appears in the field distills down to a “True” state. For example, to ensure that a field remain invisible at all times and in all situations, a user may enter the formula 1=2 or null. In either of these cases, the result of the formula will always be false and, as a result, the field will never be displayed. Conversely, if you wish for a field to appear or disappear based on the evaluation of a condition, you may define that condition here. For example, if an employee hired at an hourly (versus annual salary) wage, you may wish for a field to appear where the system can collect that hourly rate of pay. In this example, there may be a Choice Field named “Pay Type” and another field named “Hourly Rate”. The DISPLAYONLY IF formula determining whether or not the Hourly Rate Number field appears would be ‘Pay Type’ = “Hourly”. This formula distills down to “only present the Hourly Rate Number field for entry when the Pay Type field is “Hourly”. At such time that “Salary” is specified as the pay type, there will remain no need to collect the hourly pay rate information.

WRITEABLE IF – This field accesses the Ninox formula editor where the user may define the condition under which the contents of this field may be entered or, if they exist, may be edited. Any formula entered into this field must evaluate to “True” for the contents of this field to be modifiable by the end user. If this field is not blank and the formula entered into the field evaluates to a false state, the field will be locked and its contents unmodifiable. For additional information, please see Table Writes in the User Rights, Security & Passwords section of this users manual.

GLOBALSEARCH – A user has the option to indicate whether or not each specific field within a table is to be targeted by the Ninox Search Engine. If Global Search is selected, the contents of this field will be searched when the Ninox Search Engine (Find) mode is activated. If deselected, the contents of the field will be ignored during search operations. Note that, by default, if the table is excluded from search operations by virtue of its configuration all fields in the table will be ignored irrespective of this setting. Please see Search Engine for additional information on the Ninox Find feature and table configuration.

DELETEFIELD – The red button that appears in the bottom, left-hand corner of the screen, if clicked, will give you the option to delete this field from the table. If you confirm the wish to delete the field, the field, and all content in this field in all records of the table will be eliminated. The Delete Field operation can not be undone, so make sure you have made a backup or archive of your Ninox database application prior to deleting any fields.